Collapsible core.



' G. H. LEWIS.

COLLA PSIBLE com.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-24. I9I7l 1,281,600. Patented Oct. 15, 1918,

ll +5 IN V EN TOR.

W I TNESSES:

5607 fizz/$25 earner.

GEORGE H. LEWIS, F CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQR TO THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, 0F CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ll ,281 see.

Specification of ietters Patent.

COLLAPSIBLE CORE.

Patented that. 35, rate.

siding at Chioopee Falls, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Cores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible cores, such, for example, as are adapted for use in the manufacture of the outer casings or shoes of pneumatic tires and more particularly to improved means for holding the several sections of the core in assembled relation. Y

In general, the present invention contemplates the securing of the sections in assemble'd relation by the circumferential contraction of a plurality of arcuate members contractible at a plurality of points, and contractible means being distributed in a definite manner for the purpose of moving the several core sections into'close abutment and into exact concentrical relation more efliciently than has been possible heretofore,

,so far as I am aware.

According to one feature of the invention, a plurality of arcuate members are provided, one for each of the relatively large sections of the core, which members completely encompass arcuate, shoulders on the large sections and overlap and partially encompass arcuate shoulders on the adjoining smaller sections, and means are provided in each of the smaller sections to engage the ends of adjacent members and draw them todetermined position and in a position best calculated to coiiperate with the contracting means which are definitely located on the smaller core sections.

According to another feature of the invention, the several arcuate members, in order to perform their function, are inserted in arcuate grooves, which open only on one side face of each core section, and means are provided, whereby the several members may be conveniently removed from the grooves and said means are accessible from that face of the assembled core on which the groove opens.

Other features of the invention will appear in the following description and in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a collapsible core embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3.;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary circumferential section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views taken onthe lines H and 55, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view illustrative of the dowel connections between adjoining core sections; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation of one of the core sections showing the dowel.

Referring to these drawings, the assembled oore, shown in Fig. l, is an annulus which is made up of a plurality of sections 10 and 11 in the now well known wayafor the purpose of permitting convenient removal of the core from the tire shoe after the curing operation. The number of sections, which go to make up the core, may be varied within limits as desired, but preferably the illustrated subdivision is employed wherein two relatively large sections 10 and two relatively small sections 11 are employed. As illustrated .the end faces of the smaller sections 11 are substantially parallel, but they may be otherwise arranged if desired for the only essential is that the sections 11 may be wlthdrawn radially inward from the tire shoe.

The cross. sectionalshape of the core sections is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the ate flange 13, in which is provided'an arcu- .ate groove 14 opening on one side only of the flange. The several core sections 10 and 11 are adapted to abut, as showninFig. 1, to form a complete annular core ring and, when the sections are drawn into precise abutment, by means to be described, the ends of the grooves 1 1 coincide and a true cir cular groove is formed. At each joint between abutting sections, a dowel 15 is provided on one section, as best shown in Fig. 7, and this dowel is adapted to fit into a suitable recess onv the other section, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The dowel connection described prevents lateral displacement of adjoining core section s.

As a means fordrawing the several core sections into close abutment and precise con-'- centrical relation, two substantially semicircular members 16 are'provided which, as shown in Fig. 2, are adapted to fit in grooves 145 of the flanges 13. Each member 16 has a pin 17 radially projecting therefrom, and the pins 17 are adapted to fit in slots 18 formed in the sections 10, as best shown in Fig. 4. The provision'of pins 17 and slots 18 makes it necessary that the members lfi be always placed in grooves 14: in a definite circumferential position. They insure that.

the ends of adjacent members 16 overlap the small core sections 11 equally for a purpose to appear. Located centrally in the groove 14: of each of the smaller sections 11 and projecting laterally therefrom is a stud. bolt 19,

which is fixed to flange 13, as shown in Fig.

3, and the adjacent ends of the members 16 are held by the pins 17 and slots 18 an equal distance from the stud 19. Each end of each member 16 is recessed to form a cam surface 20, and adjacent surfaces 20 converge outwardly toward the exposed face of the members. A plate 21 having a central aperture to receive stud 19 is formed with oppositely inclined cam surfaces 22 to cooperate with the surfaces 20 When-a nut 23 on stud 19 is turned down thecoacting cam surfaces cause the ends of members 16 to be drawn toward one another in a manner which will be clearly obvious from Fig. 3. Each member 16 is furthermore provided with a short groove 24 in its inner periphery and, by means of the positioning devices and 18, groove 24 is caused to register, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, with a recess 25 were members 16.. The latter operation may be conveniently accomplished by inserting a tool, technically known'as a spade, in recess 24 and prying or spading the member out of its groove. Once the members 16 are removed, the two smaller sections 11 may be withdrawn radially inwardly from the tire shoe, leaving dowels 15 held. to the larger sections 10. The latter sections'may then be rfiadily removed thereafter from the tire s cc.

In assembling the core, the sections 10 and 11 are fitted together into approximately concentrical and abutting relation. The members 16 are then laid into the grooves 14 of the sections 10 and 11 and necessarily positioned so that pins 17 lie in slots 18. The

. plates 21 are then slipped over studs 19 and.

nuts 23. are tightened to force cam surfaces 22 into engagement with surfaces 20 and continued tightening of nuts 23 causes the ends of members 16 to be drawn toward one another. Preferably the nuts '23 are alternately turned down by increments, so that the ends of the members 16 are drawn together equally on each side of the core. Thus the several sections may be securely held together by the binding force of members 16 applied upon the circumferential shoulder formed by the inner peripheral walls of grooves 14.

The members 16, however, accomplish other important functions, namely, the

drawing together of the several core sections bers 16 in place, is not suitable forthe desired use, although by these operations the sections are positioned approximately in abutment and in concentrical relation. It is. quite necessary, in order to avoid the formation of fins, that the sections exactly abut. The drawing together of the ends of members 16 by the means described, however,

results in drawing the ends of the core sec-' tions into intimately close abutting relation and in true concentrical relation so that the outer periphery of the assembled core is' practically as smooth as if the core were v12o made in one piece.

An important feature of the invention is that the members 16 are carried by .the

relatively large sections, and the tight- .ening devices by therelatively small "sections. By this arrangement, the two forces which result from the -drawing together of members 16 are best adapted to accomplish their intended function.

moving. the two smaller sections inwardly menace Thus, one force acts to drawthe sections into abutment, and this force should not be so great as to prevent the other force from into precise concentrical relation. By the arrangement illustrated, the act of drawmg the ends of members 16 toward one another results in a much greater movementof the freeends of the members than of the central portions of the latter. The tendency thus is to move the relatively small, and

therefore light, sections 10 bodily inward into concentrical relation with the larger sections rather than to bodily-shift the latscribed appears with added force when it is considered that the cores are subjected to hard and rough usage. Such cores are assembled and taken apart repeatedly and in such operations are handled none'too gently.

. They are subject to rapid wear and the means for tying the several sections together should be designed to operate none the less eflectively on account of wear. Thus, the grooves and members 16 become worn so that the original fit, no matter how closely made, is not retained. When the members 16 no longer closely fit the grooves, the as sembly, prior to drawing the members 16 together, may not'be so closely approximate as originally when the parts closely fitted.

That is, the smaller sections 11 may have to be shifted radially inward a greater amount than formerly w efl'ect the desired accurate concentrical positioning. If the greater force tends to prevent the smaller force from efl'ecting this increased degree of radial movement of thesmaller sections, it will be seen that an accurately assembled core could be had only with the greatest dlfiiculty. Where, however, the force acting to accomplish the radial movement of the smaller sections is superior by reason of the arrangement described, this difficulty no longer exists and parts may be assembled into accurate relation despite the wear of parts. The ends of members 16 would slmply be drawn closer together than before but would still act on the inner circumferential surface of the groove 14, and. although the latter is of less radius, due to wear, the accurate concentrical positioning of the sections is nevertheless eflectivelv acco'mplished.

The invention has'been describedherein for llustrative purposes, but the scope of being at the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

What I claim is 1. A collapsible core, comprising, a plurality of sections each having an arcuate shoulder, said sections adapted to abut with one another to form an annular core and said shoulders to form a continuous circular ring,

a'plurality of arcuate members each of which is arranged to wholly encompass the shoulder of only one section and to partially encompass the shoulders of each of the adja' cent sections, whereby each member overlaps two 'oints only of the core ring, there least two of said members and so arranged that spaces are left between the adjacent ends of the members, and means carried by each of said adjacent sections to connect the adjacent ends of said members and draw them together to force the several sections into concentrical and abutting relation.

2. A collapsible core, comprising, an annular ring made up of relatively small and relatively large sections and providing when.

assembled a continuous circumferential sl'ot opening to a side face of the core, a plurality of arcuate members to fit into said slot,

' means including parts attached to the smaller sections to connect the adjacent ends of said members and draw them toward one another, and means to position said members circumferentially in the larger sections so that each member overlaps the joint between a large and two small sections and so that the ends are properly positioned to cooperate with the first-named means.

3. A colla sible core, comprising, an annular ring ma e up of alternate small and large sections and having in a side face a continuous circumferential slot, an arcuate member for each large section adapted to fit in said groove and overlap a part of each adjacent small section, cams formed adjacent the ends of each member, and a device on each small section having means to coiiperate with each pair of adajcent cams to draw the sections into abutting and concentrical relation.

g 4. collapsible core, comprising, an annular rin made up of alternate small and large secticns and having in a side face a continuous circumferential slot, an arcuate memher for each large section adapted to lit in said groove and overlap a part of each adjacent small section, means on each small section to draw the ends of adjacent members toward one another to move the several sections into abutment and into true concentrical relation, and co6perating means formed in each ring and each large section to permit the former to 'be conveniently removed from the latter.

5. A collapsible core, comprising a sectional annular core ring having a continuous circumferential shoulder and made up oijaplw rality of alternate large and small core sections assembled in abutting relation, the smaller core sections adapted to be moved radially of the ring to cOllapse the latter, areuate members, one for each large core section, adapted to encompass said shoulder,

' each member adapted to be definitely 10- cated with its mid Portion on a large section and its free ends partially overlapping the adjacent small sections, and means in fixed relation on each small section to engage the ends of adjacent members and draw them toward each'other to move the several sections into conoentrical and abutting relation.

GEORGE H. LEWIS. 

